Folding crate



Dec. 13, 1927.

J. COBB FOLDING CRATE Filed Feb. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

INVENTOR Jesse C b b mWmw ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,887

J. COBB FOLDING CRATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI A Jesse. Cob?) w Wu M444 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

T'TS

j rFi c JESSE COBB, OF LAREDO, TEXAS.

FOLDING CRATE.

Application filed. February 12, 1927. Serial No. 167,843.

and described in my Patent #1,427,193, is-

sued August 29,1922. 7 7

A primary object of the invention is to provide a crate of this character in which 'maximum strength is combined with economy in manufacture. i

Another object is to provide a crate of this character having strong and sufficient means for connecting the end and side members whereby they are permitted to pivot for folding and yet securely hold the parts together when in set up position.

In carrying out these objects the invention is susceptible of modification without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed, invention; there being shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes a preferred and practical form, in which: v

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance-with this invention in set up position ready for use,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with the mem bers separated and arranged in juxtaposition ready for assembling,

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4 -4L of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation or edge view taken on a small scale showing the crate in collapsed position, and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the fastening elements used for connecting the sides and ends. 7

In the embodiment illustrated, the numerals 5 designate the sides each of which consists of upper and lower longitudinallyextending side bars 6 and 7 the ends. of which are secured to upright corner posts 10 by suitable fastening elements. v

Connectors 20, unite the end and side members of the. crate forming pintles therefor when these members are folded, and are constructed as shown in Fig. 6 from a single piece of heavy wire bent intermediate its ends to forma double membered or looplike arm 21. This loop-like arm 21 has one member bent laterally outward at right angles as shown at 22, said finger 22 being arranged about midway thelength of the arm 21, the remainder of which arm is single, as shown at 23. The free end of the linger 22 is designed to be bent laterally outward at right angles to form a securing element 24'which is bentto this position after the finger 22 has been passed throughfan end cross beam 9 by means of which said side members are connected.

ly at right angles to form a pintle 25 designed to be extended through across bar. 16 of one of the end members .15 as will be hereinafter more fully described. After the arm 21 has been passed through the sidemember which includes the post 10, the terminal thereof is bent laterally. against'said post as shown at 27.

One of these connectors or fasteners 20 is The end n1embers15, as shown, are e'ach.

composed of a plate 17 having the cross bars or cleats 16 arranged transversely across the outer faces of opposite endsthereof and secured thereto in any suitable manner. These cleats or cross bars 16 have apertures 16? extending'edgewise therethrough at their opposite ends to receive the fingers -25 of the connectors 20.

The pivotally connected cross bars 9 are The end of the,

member 23'of arm 21 is extended upwardarranged below the end member 15 and the posts 10 and are held inoperative position by the arms 22 of the connectors 20, as is shown clearly in Fig. 4:- r

- It will thus'be seen that the arms 22 and 25 which pass respectively through the'c'ross' bars 9 and the cleats 16 of the end members 15 not only operate to connectthese members with the side members but also to. space them vertically apart a suflicient distance to receive the top and bottom members 30 and 10 as will bepresently more fully described.

It will be seen from aninspection of Fig. 4; thatthe longitudinally extending arms 22 and 25 of the connector 20 when inserted in operative position at thecorners of the crate will operate as pintles to permit the sides and ends to be folded into the position shown i in Fig. 5, which folding maybeeifected aff ter the top and, bottom members have been removed, these members operating to hold the crate in rigid position whenassembled for use, as will be presently described. 5

The top and bottom members 30 and 40 as shown, are constructed exactly alike, be

ing composed of a plate orthin board of a width less than the width of the crate and having secured to the outer face thereof longitudinally spaced transversely extending cleats 42, 48 and 44, which, reinforce and strengthen these members and assist in holding them inoperative position. As shown, these cleats are arranged one near each end of the board ll and the other intermediate thereof, two of the cleats at one end and the intermediate cleat being of a length greater than the width of the board and adapted to extend beyond and rest on the side members of the crate when the parts are assembled. The other end member i l is of the same length, or substantially so, of the width of the board 41, the combined thickness of said cleat a4 and the board ll being slightly less than the distance between the cross bars 9 and the end members 15 so that this end of the closure may be inserted and slipped between said end member and cross bar. in the application and removal of the closure. The thin plates or boards of the closures shown atll for the top and 31 for thebottom are made of yieldable material, to permit the end thereof which'carries the cleat a l tobe inserted between the cross beam or bar 9 and the adjacent end wall. When this narrow end of the closure has been inserted betweenthe cross beam 9 and the end wall, the other end of the board or plate 41 may be positioned between the opposite cross beam 9 and the opposite end wall 15 and confined between them. In other words, when it is desired to apply the cover it is merely necessarytoslide the narrow'end thereof be tween one of the beams 9 and the adjacent end wall, a sufficient distance to permit the opposite end of the cover to be forced downwardly and rearwardly between the opposite beam and the opposite end wall. When 00 positioned, the cover will. be securely held and the crate is effectively held against collapsing.

As shown in Fig. 1, when these closures are so mounted the boards constituting the body thereof will be disposed between the side members and the end cleats will abut the crossbeams 9 and thus rigidly hold the crate against collapsing.

\Vhen it is lesired to collapse the crate, obviously theloperation is reversed, that is, the closures are removed by sliding the narrow end thereof under the cross beam 9 and then disengaging the opposite end of the closure from the corresponding cross beam and removing the closure. The side and end against said beam.

beams 9 which abut the posts 10 will support anything placed on the crate, thereby avoiding' breakage of the covers which are comparati-vely light in construction.

lVithout further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed.

I claim 1. A crate comprising side walls," end walls arranged between the ends of the side walls, cross beams arranged at the ends of the side walls, and combined connectors and pivot pins one for each corner of the crate, each in the form of a unitary structure having branches extending through said end. walls, said cross beams and said sidewalls and pivotally connecting said members to permit them to be folded.

2. A crate comprising side walls-having upright end posts, end walls arranged between the ends of the side walls, cross beams arranged at the ends of the side walls and abutting the ends of the posts thereof, and combined connectors and pivot pins one for each corner of the crate, and each in the form of a unitary structure having branches extending through said end walls, said cross beams, and said side walls for pivotally connecting said end and side walls and said beams.

3. A crate having side walls, including end posts, cross beams arranged at the ends of said posts, and walls arranged between said cross beams and said side walls, and combined connectors and pivot pins arranged one at each of the corners of the crate and each in the form of a unitary structure having branches extending through the end walls and beams and through said posts whereby the end walls and side walls and the beams are pivotally connected. I

4. A. crate includingend beams and side and end walls, the end walls having transverse cleats, combined connectors and pivots uniting said walls and each comprising a piece of heavy wire folded intermediate its ends with the folded portion extended through the side walland its terminal bent laterally against the outer face of said Well. one of the members of .said folded portion extended-beyond the other and bent laterally outward at right angles and passed through one of the end wall cleats with its terminal bent laterally against said cleat the other member of said folded portion bein bent at right angles in a direction opposite to the other member and extended through the 7 adjacent cross beam with its terminal bent JESSE ooBB. 

